Hearing assistance system with automatic hearing loop memory

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for an automatic hearing loop memory for hearing assistance systems. A method includes receiving an acoustic input at a microphone and receiving an inductive input at a magnetic sensor. The method further includes using an operatively connected processor of the hearing assistance system to process the acoustic input from the microphone using instructions stored in a first set of memory locations, and to process the inductive input from the magnetic sensor using instructions stored in a second set of memory locations, and to optionally discontinue processing the acoustic input when a demodulator circuit operatively connected to the processor detects a predetermined signal indicative of the presence of a hearing loop system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hearing assistance system, comprising:
 a microphone configured to receive an acoustic input;   a magnetic sensor configured to receive an inductive input;   a wireless radio configured to receive a wireless signal input;   a memory;   a processor operatively connected to the microphone, the magnetic sensor, the wireless radio, and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to process the acoustic input using instructions stored in a first set of memory locations, to process the inductive input using instructions stored in a second set of memory locations, and to process the wireless signal input using instructions stored in a third set of memory locations; and   a demodulator circuit operatively connected to the processor, the demodulator circuit configured to detect a predetermined signal embedded in one or more of the inductive input or the wireless signal input, wherein the processor is configured to switch to using instructions stored in the second set of memory locations when the demodulator circuit detects the predetermined signal in the inductive input, and wherein the processor is configured to switch to using instructions stored in the third set of memory locations when the demodulator circuit detects the predetermined signal in the wireless signal input.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal input includes a frequency modulated (FM) signal. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal input includes a Bluetooth™ signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal input includes a 900 MHz signal. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined signal includes one or more of a code, a key, a pattern, a digital signature, a modulated signal, a characteristic of speech or a characteristic of music. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined signal is embedded into an audio signal, embedded into an inductive signal, or is embedded into an out-of-band signal. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined signal includes a signal at a frequency or amplitude outside a range of human hearing. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the demodulator circuit is configured to periodically attempt to detect the predetermined signal, to reduce power and preserve system resources. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes wirelessly-linked left and right hearing devices, and wherein the system is configured to duty cycle between the wirelessly-linked left and right hearing devices to attempt to detect the predetermined signal. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the wirelessly-linked left and right hearing devices are configured to make coordinated adjustments to one or more hearing assistance parameters for consistent user experience. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hearing assistance system is in communication with a smartphone of a user of the hearing assistance system, and wherein at least some processing of the system is offloaded to a processor of the smartphone. 
     
     
         12 . A method of using a hearing assistance system, comprising:
 receiving an acoustic input at a microphone of the hearing assistance system;   receiving an inductive input at a magnetic sensor of the hearing assistance system;   receiving a wireless signal input at a wireless radio of the hearing assistance system;   using a processor of the hearing assistance system to process the acoustic input using instructions stored in a first set of memory locations;   using a demodulator circuit operatively connected to the processor to detect a predetermined signal embedded in one or more of the inductive input or the wireless signal input;   upon detecting the predetermined signal in the inductive input, using the processor to process the inductive input using instructions stored in a second set of memory locations; and   upon detecting the predetermined signal in the wireless signal input, using the processor to process the wireless signal input using instructions stored in a third set of memory locations.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless signal input includes a frequency modulated (FM) signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless signal input includes a Bluetooth™ signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless signal input includes a 900 MHz signal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 sensing a user input; and   upon sensing the user input, switching to processing the acoustic input using instructions stored in the first set of memory locations.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user input is received using a manual switch on a housing of a device of the hearing assistance system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user input is received as a gesture input from a wearer of a device of the hearing assistance system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining an orientation of a device of the hearing assistance system using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor; and   providing a message to a wearer of the device directing the wearer to change the orientation of the device in a prescribed manner to improve reception of the inductive input.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the device includes a hearing aid. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining statistics related to loudness of one or more of an input signal or an output signal of the hearing assistance system; and   adjusting parameters of the hearing assistance system when processing the inductive input or the wireless signal input to match the determined statistics.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the statistics related to loudness includes targeting harmonics of a voice of a speaker in an acoustic environment of the wearer.